Garter



Nov, 11 192% G. E. PRENTICE GARTER Filed April 4, 1925 ,M Mm 0 1T w 0 n P E 0 e G Patented Nov. ii, W24.

GEORGE E. PRENTICE, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORTO JOHN MANNING VAN HEUSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GARTER.

Application filed April 4, 1923. Serial No. 629,769.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. PREN- TICE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvement in Garters, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in garters, and more particularly to garters made wholly or in part of nonelastic fahric such, for example, as pile fabric of the nature described in the patent to Van Heusen No. 1,357,929, November 2, 1920.

The, main purpose of my invention is to provide a hand garter having on the inside surface of. the band portion thereof a pile fabric, the construction of said garter being such that the band portion thereof is free to adjust itself to any shape or size of leg or drawers leg, and also such that, if desired, the pile or effective surface of the band completely encloses the leg of the wearer and is in contact therewith at substantially all points including the portion at the front part of the garter, which in most garters consists of a triangular shaped piece of fabric to which the band and the sock supporting device or grip are connected.

My invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrative of one embodiment thereof in which,

Fig; 1 is a view showing my improved garter attached to the sock and in position on the wearers leg.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the garter of Fig. 1 when worn on a leg of difierent size and shape.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the front portion of the garter.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view further showing the detailed construction of the front portion of the garter as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5. is an enlarged view showing diagrammatically a weave of pile fabric in which the pile threads have an inclined position with respect to the plane of the fabric.

The fabric of which the band portion of my improved garter is preferablyemade is a pile fabric of the nature dcscri d in the United States patent to Van Heusen 1,357,-

929, November 2, 1920. Such a fabric is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 5 and in which figure it will be noted that the pile threads 5 of the fabric are inclined at an angle to the back or body portion thereof. This inclined position of the pile threads may be accomplished in any desired manner. One way in which this may be accomplished in the weaving operation is to weave the picks or weft threads 12 on the upper surface of the fabric so that they are staggered slightly with respect to the weft threads on the lower or back face of the fabric. This is.indicated in Fig. 5 by the dotted weft threads l2 -which are staggered or laterally displaced with respect to the weft threads on the back face. This causes the pile threads to be held in an inclined position as illustrated in Fig. 5. Another manner in which the ile threads may be given an inclined or s anting position with respect to the plane of the fabric is. as follows: I weave the fabric with the pile threads secured therein by what is known to the trade as a four pick pile weave. This fabric has the pile threads extending substantially at right angles to the fabric. I then moisten the pile face slightly with water and then allow steam to play on the said pile surface. I then brush the pile face of the fabric in the direction which I desire to have the pile threads slant, at the same time steaming the fabric on the back face thereof. The fabric is then dried with the back of the fabric against a drying can. The fabric thus treated is provided with a pile surface in which all the pile threads are inclined in the same direction and at substantially the same angle to the plane of the fabric. e

The band is so arranged that when the garter is worn the pile threads on the inner surface of the band will project in a downward and inward direction. It will be seen that any tendency of the garter to slip downward will be resisted by the inclined pile threads. In fact, it has been found that the expansion and eon-traction of the muscles of the leg encircled by the garter react in such a manner as to exert an actual tendency for the garter to work upward on the leg or drawers leg of the wearer. is upward movement, however, is not so r0 nounced as to make the garter uncom 01'1"- able but it is strong enough efiectively to hold up a sock or stocking.

In garters of this type it is desirable 1n order to produce the most satisfactory and complete results, that the pile fabric be in contact with the leg at all points on the inner surface of the encircling band and it is equally important that the said band be permitted to adjust itself to the particular shape of leg on which it is worn. The garter shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is so constructed as to insure the maximum degree of supporting action from the pile fabric. in Fig. 3 the ring 7 is provided with three prongs or projections 11, or other suitable members, which extend back through the base plate 14 and are secured thereto by turning or bending the prongs on the under side of the base plate (see the prongs 11 in Fig. 4). It will be noted that the ring 7 is held in a raised position. That is, the prongs 11 are supporting members which hold the ring a given distance away from the surface of the base plate 14. I do not limit myself to the three prongs or projections 11 shown,as a greater or less number may satisfactorily be used if desired. The attached end 9 of the garter band is secured to the ring 7 'by means of the closed eye or collar 10. This collar is slightly larger in diameter than the ring, so that the collar is free to slide on the ring. The portion of the ring over which the collar is free to slip is limited and determined by the position of the prongs 11 which extend from the ring to the base plate and thus prevent the collar from slipping past. Thus the position which the attached end of the band may assume is limited by the prongs 11. This is a desirable feature for the reason that the attached end of thegarter is held in such a position that it can only be placed upon the wearers leg with the pile threads 5 projecting in the proper direction, viz, downwardly and inwardly. This is illustrated at 5 in Fig. 3. If the collar 10 were free to slip completely around the ring 7 the garter might inadvertently be placed upon the leg with the pile surface 5 pointing in an upward and inward direction and the supporting action of the garter would thus be lost. The prongs 11 while they limit the are through which the attached end of the band may slip are, nevertheless, spaced sufficiently far apart so that the collar and attached band may adjust themselves to the desired position depending upon the shape of the wearers leg. For example, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the collar 10 is free to slip on the ring 7 so that the band 2 will lie fiat and smooth against the wearers leg. and thus produce the maximum effective supportmg action.

he free end of the band is provided with a. hook 6 or other suitable means whereby As illustrated.

it may be attached to the other side of the ring 7. The hook 6 is so shaped that a sliding connection is made with the ring. That is, the hook 6 on the free end of the band is adapted to slide on the ring between the two adjacent prongs 11 in the same manner as above described in connection with the attached end of the band. .It will thus be seen that both the collar 10 on the attached end of the band 9 and the hook 6 on the free end of the band are adapted to slide on the ring 7 so as to permit the free adjustment of the band on the Wearers leg. Fig. 1 shows the garter when worn on a relatively large leg, and it will be noted that the collar 10 and the hook 6 have slipped around on the ring 7 so as to permit the band 2 properly to conform to the large sized leg. Fig. 2, on the other hand shows the garter when worn on a relatively thin leg. Here also the collar 10 and the hook 6 have slipped to a different position on the ring 7 to permit the proper adjustment of the band.

Any desired type of stocking grip may be utilized in the improved garter of my invention. The ordinary type of grip 3 may be used to support the sock 1 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or a hook grip may be used as shown at 13 in Fig. 3.

The base plate and the sock grip are provided with one or more narrow openings through which a fabric ribbon or other material may be threaded. The ribbon 8 serves to connect the rip with the base plate and also to cover rom view the metallic base plate and to prevent the metal from coming in contact with the leg of the wearer.

The ribbon may be threaded through the hook and base plate in any desired manner. Fig. 4 shows one way in which the ribbon may be inserted through the grip and base plate, and securely fastened. It will be noted that the raised ring construction of my improved garter makes possible the covering of the entire face of the base plate with the ribbon. The ribbon may, advantageously, be threaded through the openings of the base plate and drawn smooth on the upper surface thereof before the ring is attached. The projections 11 pass through the ribbon to the base plate. Thus the base plate is almost completely hidden from view, and the ring whichis raised slightly above the surface 0 the ribbon, presents a highly'pleasing and distinctive appearance.

While, as above stated, the preferred embodiment of my invention contemplates the use of the pile fabric above described, I wish it to be expressly understood that the attaching and adjusting means hereinbefore described which form the basis of my inven tion, is applicable both to garters made of non-elastic pile fabric and also to rters made wholly or in part of elastic fabric. My

invention, therefore, includes either elastic or non-elastic garters having thereon the attaching and adjusting means of my invention.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation,-and I have no inten ti on, in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a band garter, the combination of a leg encircling band presenting on its inner surface contact filaments downwardly and inwardly inclined to the leg or drawers leg of the wearer, a base plate and a circular rail, said circular rail being in fixed raised relation to said base plate and being divided 'into at least two segments by rearwardly projecting members; one end of the leg encircling band being permanently attached in sliding contact with one segment of the circular rail, and the other end of the leg encircling band having means adapted to form ardetachable sliding connection with a difierent segment of said circular rail.

2. Ina band garter, the combination of a leg encircling band presenting on its inner surface contact filaments downwardly and in wardly inclined to the leg or drawers leg 0'? the wearer, a base plate and a circular rail said circular rail being in fixed raised relation to said base plate and being divided into at least two segments by rearwardly projecting members, one of which members is positioned at substantially the upper central point of said rail; one end of the leg encircling band being permanently attached in sliding contact with the segment of the circular rail on one side of the said upper central member, and the other end of the leg encircling band having means adapted to form adetachable sliding connection with the segment on the other side of said upper central member.

3. Anon-elasticband garter adapted to adjust itself to any shape or, size of leg, comprising a leg encircling band with an inner pile surface of which the pile threads are all inclined in substantially the same direction; a sock supporting strip with a base plate having attached thereto in fixed raised relation a circular rail, the attaching members consisting of three prongs projecting rearwardly from the rail and dividing it into three segments, one of said prongs being at substantially the upper central point of said rail; one end of the leg encircling band being permanently attached in sliding con-v tact with one of the segments adjacent to the upper central prong, the relation of the att'ached band and the segment being such that the inclined pile threads on the inner surface of the .band will always be downwardly and inwardly inclined to the wearers leg; and the other end of the leg encircling band having means adapted to form a detachable sliding connection with the remaining segment adjacent to the upper central prong.

GEORGE E. PRENTICE. 

